The Square-Foot Garden for 2012

Last week I planted my garden for this year. Hopefully I've learned a few things about gardening and can put that information to good use. Like having a reasonable number of plants, and some variety. After last year's crop from 18(!) cucumber plants, I decided to tone it down some. Something about growing cucumbers that start to resemble watermelons makes you think the plants are messing with your mind...

Before I started planting this year, I learned a valuable lesson; don't let the dregs of last summer's plants sit all winter long on your deck. By springtime, your deck will look like an abandoned junkyard.

After cleaning up the mess, I decided to do only two 2x8 boxes this year. Frankly that was all I'd ever planned on using last year, till the 26(!) squash plants begged me, day after day, to come up on the deck because I'd purposely inadvertantly planted them in the shadow of the shed last year.

Here are my two garden boxes this year:

I have 8 green bean, 6 cucumber, 5 zucchini, 4 onion, 4 jalapeno, 4 green bell peppers, 4 egg plant, and two cantalope plants. In containers I have two tomato plants and an herb garden containing: oregano, chives and rosemary.

I planted some basil with the tomatoes as I read that it makes the plants stronger and gives better tasting tomatoes!

The view of the deck is so much better now!

Will I have a bountiful harvest, or will it be a dismal failure? I have no idea, but after last year's experience of fighting fungus on the leaves, root rot, squash borers ruining the aggravating squash plants, and cucumbers ready to do a circus act, I doubt my gardening season will be boring! Grow plants, grow!!